Create your own S'mores Cook Out Area

Photo by weddingbells.ca

Make or purchase  a wooden window box and place pebbles inside the box.  Place Sterno candles inside the pebbles and give guests sticks and marshmallows to toast their marshmallows.  The cool part is you can have guests toasting marshmallows on both sides of the table at the same time and can be used indoors or outdoors.  What a fabulous idea!

Have plenty of graham crackers and Hershey bars to complete the s'more.

Enjoy!

Sweet Snack for your Weekend Guests

When we are hosting weekend guests, I always make it a point to bake a sweet or two to satisfy those midnight sweet cravings .  Do you have a favorite brownie recipe?  Homemade or boxed mix, make it your own by sprinkling a pinch of flaky sea salt over the melted chocolate for an extra special touch of "salty-sweet".  Here is a fantastic recipe that is super easy because you use a brownie mix as a short cut.  I found this recipe on Just a Pinch Recipes.  Try it this weekend.  

You need:  13 x 9 pan, 1 box Betty Crocker fudge brownies, 2 eggs, 1/4 cup water, 2/3 cups vegetable oil, 3 cups small twisted pretzels, 1 jar caramel sauce, sea salt.

Preheat oven to 350.  Line a 13 x 9 pan with parchment paper or spray with cooking spray.  Prepare brownie mix in bowl according to directions on package.

Pour 1/3 of the brownie batter into the prepared baking pan.  Spread until the bottom of the pan is evenly coated.  Add two layers of pretzels, covering the entire surface.  Carefully spoon the remaining brownie batter on top to cover the pretzels.

Bake for 30 minutes Remove and cool .

Spoon the caramel sauce on top of the brownies in an even layer.  Microwave for 30 seconds to thin.  Sprinkle the caramel with a few pinches of sea salt.  

Serve warm and enjoy.

Happy Weekend and Thank you for reading

Do It Yourself Dessert for Easy Entertaining

So it's the weekend and you don't feel like spending time in the kitchen baking for the family and friends staying with you.  Set up an Ice Cream Sandwich Buffet station and everyone will have fun putting together their "custom" ice cream sandwich.  Use your imagination and promote creativity.  Here are some suggestions :
Any of the following are great bases to build your sandwich: Pound cake, graham crackers, chocolate chip cookies, oatmeal raisin cookies, sugar cookies, even toasted waffles.
Frozen filling choices: Sorbet, frozen yogurt, sherbet, gelato
Spread choices:  Hot fudge, Nutella, Marshmallow spread, Butterscotch Topping, Caramel Topping, Fruit Jam such as strawberry or raspberry
Don't forget the chocolate chips, mint or peanut butter chips (all found in the baking aisle)

Make it easy on yourself and use disposable paper bowls and spoons.  Clean - up is a snap. Enjoy the weekend and appreciate the day.  Hope to see you for Grill Tuesday.


                                                                    LakehouseLyn